Cot (cancer Osaka thyroid) protein is a serine/threonine kinase that is a member of the MAP kinase kinase kinase (MAP3K) family. It is also known as “Tpl2” (tumor progression locus), “MAP3K8” (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 8) or “EST” (Ewing sarcoma transformant). Cot was identified by its oncogenic transforming activity in cells and has been shown to regulate oncogenic and inflammatory pathways.
Cot is known to be upstream in the MEK-ERK pathway and is essential for LPS induced tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production. Cot has been shown to be involved in both production and signaling of TNFα. TNFα is a pro-inflammatory cytokine and plays an important role in inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diabetes, sepsis, psoriasis, misregulated TNFα expression and graft rejection.
In some embodiments, the disease or condition treated by the administration of a compound of composition described herein includes acute gout and ankylosing spondylitis, allergic disorders, Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, bacterial infections, bone cancer pain and pain due to endometriosis, BRAF resistant melanoma, brain stem glioma or pituitary adenomas, burns, bursitis, cancer of the anal region, cancer of the endocrine system, cancer of the kidney or ureter (e.g. renal cell carcinoma carcinoma of the renal pelvis), cancer of the penis, cancer of the small intestine, cancer of the thyroid, cancer of the urethra, cancers of the blood such as acute myeloid leukemia, cancers of the tongue, carcinoma of the cervix, carcinoma of the endometrium, carcinoma of the fallopian tubes, carcinoma of the renal pelvis, carcinoma of the vagina or carcinoma of the vulva, chronic mueloid leukemia, chronic or acute leukemia, chronic pain, classic Bartter syndrome, common cold conjunctivitis, coronary heart disease, cutaneous or intraocular melanoma, dermatitis, dysmenorrhea, eczema, endometriosis, familial adenomatous polyposis, fibromyalgia, fungal infections, gout, gynecologic tumors, uterine sarcomas, carcinoma of the fallopian tubes, headache, hemophilic arthropathy, Parkinson's disease, AIDS, herpes zoster, Hodgkin's disease, Huntington's, hyperprostaglandin E syndrome, influenza, iritis, juvenile arthritis, juvenile onset rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, low back and neck pain, lymphocytic lymphomas, myofascial disorders, myositis, neuralgia, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, neuroinflammatory disorders, neuropathic pain, carcinoma of the vulva, Parkinson's disease, pediatric malignancy, pulmonary fibrosis rectal cancer, rhinitis, sarcoidosis, sarcomas of soft tissues, scleritis, skin cancer, solid tumors of childhood, spinal axis tumors, sprains and strains, stomach cancer, stroke, subacute and chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes such as bursitis, surgical or dental procedures, symptoms associated with influenza or other viral infections, synovitis, toothache, ulcers, uterine cancer, uterine sarcomas, uveitis, vasculitis, viral infections, viral infections {e.g. influenza) and wound healing.
Agents and methods that modulate the expression or activity of Cot, therefore, may be useful for preventing or treating such diseases.